Here is the interview with the Admissions Office and Career Development Office at Yale SOM.

What kind of background and skills do you like to see in applicants expressing interest in a career in healthcare?

Scientific-oriented companies such as those in pharmaceuticals and medical devices tend to seek MBA’s with technical, biological, or chemical backgrounds, especially for positions in product marketing, product management and business development roles. Finance positions tend to seek students that have strong analytical and prior finance, accounting, or audit experiences.

What aspects of Yale’s curriculum are best suited to students who want to eventually pursue a career in healthcare?

Students seeking to emphasize in healthcare should consider taking Managing Healthcare Organizations; Healthcare Policy, Finance, and Economics; Healthcare Leadership Seminar; and Healthcare Operations. They may also want to take Policy Modeling and Simulation Modeling to strengthen core skills.

Which school clubs, programs, and extra-curricular events are most relevant to people interested in Healthcare?

The Healthcare Club is essential. It provide students with a community to discuss career alternatives, share prior experiences with other students (especially 2nd years), and network with companies, alumni, and MBA-e (executive MBA) students. The Healthcare Club is also active in organizing student-led treks to visit companies in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and California.

Yale University hosts a Healthcare Conference in the spring and students in the Healthcare Club help organize and participate in the conference. It is a University-wide event that includes professors, researchers, dignitaries, employers, and consultants in the healthcare industry. Most Yale SOM students in the Healthcare Club participate and many hold leadership positions in organizing this event.

Since “healthcare” is a very broad term, can you break down some of the some of the sub-categories in the field that Yale SOM excels in?

The sub-categories that have been historically most attractive to Yale SOM students are pharmaceuticals, medical devices, consulting, and payer organizations. Some students pursue “provider” opportunities; most of them are duel-degree students in either the MPH/MBA program or the MD/MBA program. The functional roles vary from product marketing, marketing insight, product management, business development, strategy, and finance.

Which healthcare organizations recruit at Yale SOM? How many graduates of your 2010 class received offers in healthcare?

Some of the companies that recruit Yale SOM students include Aetna, J&J, Covidien, Boehringer Ingelheim, CIGNA, Genentech, Pfizer, Medtronic, Forest Laboratories, Bayer, and Medco. Many local niche companies and startups pursue our graduates. Approximately 5% of our 2011 graduates have taken full-time positions in companies within the healthcare sector.

Thanks to the Yale SOM Admissions Center and Career Development Center for granting us this interview.